Grandma's Feather Bed (In Concert) Lyrics
John Denver
Lyrics
When I was a little bitty boy, just up off a floor,
we used to go down to Grandma's house every month end or so.
We'd have chicken pie and country ham, homemade butter on the bread.
But the best darn thing about Grandma's house was her great big feather bed.
It was nine feet wide, and six feet high, soft as a downy chick
It was made from the feathers of forty-eleven geese,
took a whole bolt of cloth for the tick.
It'd hold eight kids and four hound dogs and a piggy we stole from the shed.
We didn't get much sleep but we had a lot of fun on Grandma's feather bed.
After supper we'd sit around the fire, the old folks would spit and chew.
Pa would talk about the farm and the war, and Granny'd sing a ballad or two.
I'd sit and listen and watch the fire till the cobwebs filled my head,
next thing I'd know I'd wake up in the morning
in the middle of the old feather bed.
It was nine feet wide, and six feet high, soft as a downy chick
It was made from the feathers of forty-eleven geese,
took a whole bolt of cloth for the tick.
It'd hold eight kids and four hound dogs and a piggy we stole from the shed.
We didn't get much sleep but we had a lot of fun on Grandma's feather bed.
Well I love my Ma, I love my Pa, I love Granny and Grandpa too.
I been fishing with my uncle, I ras'led with my cousin, I even kissed Aunt Lou, ew!
But if I ever had to make a choice, I guess it oughta be said
that I'd trade 'em all plus the gal down the road for Grandma's feather bed.
I'd trade 'em all plus the gal down the road...
I'll have to reconsider 'bout the gal down the road:
It was nine feet wide, and six feet high, soft as a downy chick
It was made from the feathers of forty-eleven geese,
took a whole bolt of cloth for the tick.
It'd hold eight kids and four hound dogs and a piggy we stole from the shed.
We didn't get much sleep but we had a lot of fun on Grandma's feather bed.
We didn't get much sleep but we had a lot of fun on Grandma's feather bed.
Song & Lyrics Facts
John Denver's "Grandma's Feather Bed" was released in 1973 on his album An Evening with John Denver. The song was written by Jim Connor and John Denver and performed by both of them as well as the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band.
This live version of the song captures the joyousness of a childhood memory, which is fitting for the lyrics that tell the story of a young boy sleeping peacefully on his grandmother's feather bed. The instrumentation includes banjo, guitar, mandolin, bass and drums, creating an upbeat folk-country soundscape. Released on April 2nd, 1973, this song has become one of John Denver's most beloved classics.